Cotton-harvester.



` C. B. SEWELL.

- COTTON HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED 11:11.16, 1910.

Patented Oct. 25, 191`0.

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COTTON HARVESTER.

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c. B. SEWBLL.

COTTON HARVESTER. APPLIqAnon'rILnD 13:11.16, 19.10. l 973,71 2, Patented Oct. 125, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

`l CHARLES B. SEWELL, OF SHARON, TEXAS.

COTTON-HARVESTER.

To `all Awhom it may concern:

Be it known :that I, GHARLns B. SEwELL, a citizen `of the United States, residing at Sharon, in the county of Scurry and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Irlarvesters, of which the following is aspeciiication.

This invention relates to cotton harvesters of that type in which fthe `cotton is removed from the bolls by pneumatic suction means, and delivered into a receptacle.

It is the object rof the invention to provide in a vharvester ofthe kind stated, Van improved suction head which is so constructed and operated `that it winds its way through the plants and operates on a large area .to 4remove the cotton from a number of bolls simultaneously., by reason 'of which the cotton can be `more rapidly gathered than with yan apparatus employing a suction head or nozzle Vwhich operates on one boll 'at a time.

The invention also has for `its :object to provide improved means for guiding the suction head.

With the herein stated objects in view, the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being Vhad to the drawings hereto annexed forming a part of this specification, in which drawmg,-

Figure l is a plan `View of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts bein-g shown in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. i is a sectional detail of the means for adjusting the suction head or nozzle. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rotating picker stem and the means for actuating the same. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to t-he drawings, it will be seen that the picking mechanism is carried on a wheeled frame, or vehicle, adapted to be drawn across the field by draft animals; or it may be self-propelled by providing a driving mechanism, geared to the motor which actuates the picking mechanism. The wheeled frame is rectangular in form, and comprises side bars l0, and end bars l1 'which are angular in cross section. The end bars carry arched axles 12 on which the supporting wheels 13 of the frame are mounted, the front axle being pivoted for guiding the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 16, 1910.

Patented Get. 25, 1910.

Serial No. 544,239.

machine, and to said axle is attached Ia tongue 14 for `the draft animals. The front `end of the frame lcarries a platform l5 on which a motor 16 is mounted and supported. i

This motor may be `an internal-combustion engine, and its function is to operate the suction apparatus.

At the rear Vend of the wheeled frame is carried a rotary exhaust fan 17 .mounted in y a case 18. On the shaft 19 of the fan is a bevel gear 20, which meshes with a bevel gear 2l on ashaft 22 supported by brackets 23, one of which brackets is carried by one of the side bars l0, and the other `by an arched brace 24 rising from the side bars,

`said arch also serving to secure the fan case.

The shaft 22 is geared by bevel gears 25 to a countershaft 26 extending parallel to one of the side bars l0 and supported inbearings 27 mounted thereon. The countershaft `extends to the front end of the frame, and is belted or otherwise operatively connected to `the motor I6, as shown in Fig. l, whereby ed to be sucked into this box vas will be present-ly made clear, and to prevent the cotton from being taken up by the pipe 29, a screen 32 is placed across the mouth thereof. The bottom of the box has an opening for the removal of the cot-ton, said opening being provided with a sliding gate, or other suit- 4able closure 33.

The suction pipe which carries the cotton into the box 30 is indicated at 34, said pipe being connected to a suction head or nozzle 35 comprising a hollow body which is helical in form, the wall of the body having a large number of inlet openings These openings are in the edge, as well as in the sides of the convolutions of the helix.

Extending transversely of the machine, and supported by the side bars 10, is a horizontally disposed bar 87 having a slot 38 extending in the direction of its length. The top of the bar, on opposite sides of the slot, is formed into a rack 39, engageable by pinions 40 carried by a housing il through which said bar passes. Two pairs of pinions are provided, located respectively near the ends of the housing. The shafts of the pinions are mounted in the side walls of the housing, and on the outside thereof, one of said shafts is fitted with a crank-handle 42,

` with a crank-handle 46 which, upon being turned, rotates the pinion and raises or lowers the rack bar. The rack bar 43 passes through the slot 38, and through an opening in the bottom of the housing, and carries at. its lower end a support for the suction head 35. Said support comprises a pair of crossed arms 47 having downward bends 48 at their ends, and said ends carry bearings 49. In one of said bearings is journaled a short shaft 50 secured at one end to one end of the suction head, and having secured to its other end a flexible shafting 51 connected to the drive shaft of the motor 16. To the other end of the suction head is fastened a short hollow shaft 52 which is journaled in the other bearing 49. The bore of the shaft 52 communicates with the interior of the suction head, and the outer end of said bore is entered by a nipple 53, connected to the pipe 34. A stuffing box 54 is provided to prevent leakage of air.

In front of each inlet opening 36 is mountcd a fan comprising a hub 54, a rim 55, and radial blades 56 extending therebetween, the latter being set` obliquely to throw the cotton into the opening 36. The fan is mounted in an opening made in a plate 57 bolted or otherwise secured to the head 35. A ball bearing 58 is provided to reduce friction. From the hub of the fan, on the outer side thereof, projects axially a stem 59 having a barbed or roughened surface, the barbs being presented toward the fan. The stems rotate with the fan.

In operation, the machine is drawn across the cotton feld by the draft animals, it being guided so that the suction head will enter the plants. The suction head is rotated by the motor 16 through the flexible shafting 51. The fan 17 is driven by the motor 16 through the gearing already described. This creates a suction in the head 35 and causes air to be drawn thereinto through the fans and the openings 36. The air passing through the fans causes the latter to rotate.

rlhe stems 59 rotate with the fans and their barbed surfaces catch the cotton and pull it from the bolls. The cotton is sucked off the stems by the draft and passes through the fans and the openings 36 into the head, from which it passes into the bore of the shaft 52, and thence through the pipe 34 to the box 30. then the latter is full, the gate 33 is opened, and the cotton is allowed to drop into a bag or other suitable receptacle. The rotary motion of the head 35 causes it to wind its way through the plants, reaching all the parts thereof, and operating on a large area. By providing a plurality of picker stems and inlet openings 36, a large number of bolls are operated on simultaneously by reason of which the speed of operation is greatly increased, and the cotton is gathered more rapidly than with a machine in which the suction head or nozzle has to be guided to the bolls, and operating on them singly. The axles 12 elevate the suction head a sufficient distance from the ground so that it may enter the plants as stated. Lateral and vertical adjustment of the head 35 is readily eected by operating the crank handles 42 and 46, the former causing the housing 41 to travel along the bars 37, and the latter raising or lowering the rack bar 43, and as the latter carries the supporting means of the head, the latter is raised and lowered with the rack bar. The transverse movement of the housing 41 moves the rack bar bodily transversely of the machine, thereby effecting transverse adjustment of the head. In order to permit this vertical and lateral adjustment of the head, the flexible shafting 51 is employed, and the pipe 34 is also a flexible one.

A machine constructed and operated as herein described is efficient in operation, and it eifectually serves the purpose for which it is designed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described, but itwill be understood that various minor changes in the structural details thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. In a cotton harvester, a hollow helical suction head having a plurality of inlet openings, a suction pipe connected to the head, and means for rotating the head.

2. In a cotton harvester, a hollow helical suction head having a plurality of inlet openings, a suction pipe connected to the head, means for rotating the head, and means for adjusting the head to the plants.

3. In a cotton harvester, a hollow helical suction head, having a plurality of inlet openings, a suction pipe connected to the head, means for rotating the head, and means for guiding the head in a. vertical and a horizontal plane.

4. In a cotton harvester, a wheeled supporting frame, a transverse rack bar carried by the frame, a housing slidable on the rack bar, pinions carried by the housing and meshing with the rack bar, means for rotating the pinions, a vertically disposed rack bar, and a pinion in mesh therewith carried by the housing, .means for rotating said pinion, a suction nozzle carried by the vertical rack bar, and a flexible suction pipe connected to the nozzle.

In a cotton harvester, a wheeled supporting frame, a transverse rack bar carried by the frame, a housing` slidable on the rack bar, pinions carried by the housing and meshing with the rack bar, means for rotating the pinions, a vertically disposed rack bar and a pinion in mesh therewith carried by the housing, means for rotating said pinion, a rotatable helical suction nozzle carried by the vertical rack bar, and a flexible drive shaft and a flexible suction pipe connected to the nozzle.

6. In a cotton harvester, a wheeled supporting frame, a transverse rack bar carried by the frame, a housing slidable on the rack bar, pinions carried by the housing and meshing with the rack bar, means for rotating the pinions, a vertically disposed rack bar and a pinion in mesh therewith carried by the housing, means for rotating said pinion, a rotatable helical suction nozzle carried by the vertical rack bar, a flexible drive shaft and a flexible suction pipe connected to the nozzle, a suction box to which the suction pipe is connected, an exhaust fan having its case in comnninication with the suction box, and a motor carried by the supporting frame and operatively connected to the fan and the flexible drive shaft of the nozzle.

7. In a cotton harvester, a hollow helical suction head having a plurality of inlet openings, rotating picker stems mounted at the mouths of the openings, means for rotating the suction head, and means for rotating the picker stems.

8. In a cotton harvester, a hollow helical suction head having a plurality of inlet openings, rotary fans mounted in front of said openings, picker stems carried by the fans, and rotatable therewith, and means for rotating the suction head.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. SEIVELL. fitnesses CHARLES It. BUCHANAN, A. V. BUCHANAN. 

